Town boss Paul Jewell says he’s yet to decide on his team for Saturday’s home game against Barnsley, although he expects to make one or two changes with some of his players tired as they go into their eighth game of the month.
Jewell said: "I might just rest one or two. I haven’t decided on the team yet, which is not like us. I’ll have a long think and a chat with the staff.
"We might tweak it and make one or two changes, I’m not sure. The players have given me something to think about this morning, that’s for sure.”
The Blues boss said his players were "flying” during Friday training with everybody fit and plenty of members of his squad pushing for a place against the Tykes: "We’ve got no injuries, which is great.
"There’s no letting up in training as far as the players are concerned. At this stage of the season you keep ticking over, but they were unbelievably sharp and fresh this morning, so I’ve got something to think about tonight.”
With Alex McCarthy having been recalled to Reading, Jewell has to choose between Arran Lee-Barrett and Richard Wright in goal. He says he’s made his decision but wasn’t letting on at this lunchtime’s press conference, although subsequently as confirmed that Lee-Barrett will get the nod: "I’ve made my mind up who will play in goal and they will find out this afternoon.”
Ahead of Lee-Barrett, the Town boss will probably stick with his full-back pair of Aaron Cresswell and Carlos Edwards but may again ruminate on whether to recall Ibrahima Sonko at centre-half but will probably stick with Tommy Smith and Damien Delaney.
In midfield, Lee Bowyer could drop out after three games in less than a week with Andy Drury likely to come in alongside Grant Leadbitter in the centre.
Out wide, Daryl Murphy could be rested in favour of Josh Carson with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas on the right and Lee Martin behind the lone striker.
Jewell says striker Jason Scotland is not out of consideration for his XI, despite two more starts triggering a clause giving him an additional year on his current wages, and the Trinidadian could replace Michael Chopra after a couple of quiet games from the club’s 14-goal top scorer.
The Town manager says Jimmy Bullard has made progress in training and the 33-year-old midfielder may be in line for a return to the bench.
Barnsley, who are two places and six points behind the Blues in 17th with 46 points, will be without midfielder Nathan Doyle, who starts a ban after being sent off in last week’s 1-0 home victory over Peterborough United.
Another midfielder, David Perkins (knee) is also out, as are defenders Bobby Hassell (knee) and Rob Edwards (hamstring), goalkeeper Luke Steele (abdomen) and winger Jim O’Brien (groin). Defender Luke Potter (knee), midfielder Jacob Butterfield (knee) and keeper David Preece (wrist) are all ruled out for the rest of the season.
Hill says his team are coming up against a Town side on the up: "They're in good form. Their home form's excellent. They've turned what could've been a very difficult season into a relatively good season and they'll be looking to kick on. A club like Ipswich, you associate with the Premier League and probably being in Europe.
"They've been found wallowing in the lower end of the Championship for the past few seasons. For me, they're an elite Championship club.
"We're always optimistic but realistic. We're not safe, we're in a safe zone. I've looked at all the fixtures and one team can put a run of games together.
"The three who are in the relegation zone at the minute have got to go on a run of winning four or five games out of seven.
"I want to be as close to last season's tally [of 56 points] as we possibly can be, bearing in mind what we've had to deal with financially, that'll be a real achievement."
Historically, Town have done well against the South Yorkshiremen, winning 20 games between the sides (19 in the league), drawing five (five) and losing 13 (11).
In December, second half goals from Keith Andrews (2), Danny Collins, Michael Chopra and Jason Scotland saw the Blues turn around a two-goal half-time deficit in extraordinary fashion to beat Barnsley 5-3 at Oakwell.
Town had been atrocious before the break with the Tykes deservedly two goals in front via Craig Davies, a penalty, and Ricardo Vaz Te. Davies added Barnsley’s third in the closing minutes.
Barnsley were last at Portman Road in November last year when they left Portman Road with a comfortable 3-1 victory. The Tykes were 2-0 in front at the break through Goran Lovre and a Márton Fülöp own goal with an angry home support olé-ing Barnsley’s passing.
Soon after the restart Garry O’Connor made it three before Tommy Smith pulled a late goal back for the Blues.
The most famous meeting between the teams came in May 2000 at Wembley when Town won the play-off final 4-2 to reach the Premier League. Richard Wright is the only player currently at either club to have played in that match.
Barnsley defender Jay McEveley, who was a loanee with Town in the 2005/06 season, is currently on loan at Swindon, and no other current Tyke has featured for the Blues.
Town striker Michael Chopra made 41 starts and one sub appearance, scoring 17 goals, while spending 2004/05 on loan at Oakwell.
Blues fitness coach Andy Liddell was a Barnsley player between 1991 and 1998 having come through the Oakwell youth system.
Saturday’s referee is Philip Gibbs from the West Midlands, who has shown 106 yellow and four red cards in 36 games so far this season.
Coincidentally, Gibbs’s only previous Town match was the 2-1 defeat at Barnsley in October 2009 in which he booked Grant Leadbitter, Jaime Peters, Tamás Priskin and one home player.
Squad from: Lee-Barrett, Wright, Edwards, Cresswell, Smith, Delaney, Sonko, Ainsley, Drury, Hyam, Leadbitter, Bullard, Bowyer, Stevenson, Emmanuel-Thomas, Murphy, Carson, Martin, Chopra, Scotland.